Robust bendable thermoelectric generators enabled by elasticity strengthening

Wenjun Ding, Xinyi Shen, Min Jin, Yixin Hu, Zhiwei Chen, Erchao Meng, Jun Luo (), Wen Li () and Yanzhong Pei ()
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Wenjun Ding: Tongji University
Xinyi Shen: Tongji University
Min Jin: Shanghai Dianji University
Yixin Hu: Tongji University
Zhiwei Chen: Tongji University
Erchao Meng: University of Science and Technology Beijing
Jun Luo: Tongji University
Wen Li: Tongji University
Yanzhong Pei: Tongji University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Using body heat for instance, thermoelectric generators have promising applications for driving wearable electronics continuously but remain a challenge in terms of recoverable flexibility, as known highly-performing thermoelectrics are usually inorganics showing rigidity. It is conceptualized in this work a large elastic strain ensuring both a largely-curved recoverable bending and a full recoverability in thermoelectric performance after enormous bendings. This leads the current work to focus on a microstructure engineering approach for strengthening the elasticity of Ag2Se, in which dense dislocations and refined grain induced by a multi-pass hot-rolling technique enable a significant enhancement in elasticity. The resultant hot-rolled elastic thin thermoelectric generators realize a record bendability, for at least 1,000,000 times at a tiny bending radius of 3 mm with an extraordinary power density. Such a bendability is applicable to the most curved surfaces of a human body, suggesting a promising strategy for powerful wearable thermoelectrics of all inorganics.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54084-6

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